Simple, flavorful and yet, so filling and healthy, this lemony foxtail millet salad can be the perfect quick lunch to whip up on a lazy weekday, or prep in advance and carry to work.
Ready to give this recipe a shot? Scroll down to get a quick gist of everything you need to know about it.
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Ingredients For the Recipe
You’ll end a few simple ingredients to put together this flavorful and healthy salad.
- Foxtail millet (cooked): 1 cup
- Mustard oil: 1 tbsp
- Peanuts: ½ cup
- Mustard seeds: 1 tsp
- Curry leaves: 8-10
- Chana dal: 1 tsp
- Garlic (minced): 1 tbsp
- Ginger (minced): ½ tbsp
- Lemon juice: 1 lemon
- Turmeric powder: ½ tsp
- Red chili powder: 1 tsp
- Coriander powder: ½ tsp
- Salt: 1 teaspoon or as per taste
- Coriander leaves (chopped): For garnish
How to Make the Lemony Foxtail Millet Salad
Once you have all your ingredients ready, here’s how to make the salad from scratch.
Heat the mustard oil in a pan. Add the peanuts and saute. Cook them until they are done. Keep sauteing them otherwise they might burn.
Next, add in the mustard seeds, curry leaves, chana dal, garlic, and ginger. Saute.
Add the spices next along with salt and mix. Saute for a few seconds.
Next, add in the lemon juice and mix.
Add the cooked foxtail millet and mix everything together.
Garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves and serve hot.
Frequently Asked Questions
You sure can! Foxtail millet is a great choice for many reasons- it is rich in dietary fiber which makes it easier to digest, and is loaded with antioxidants which support heart health, boost immunity and even help fight cancer.
If you don’t have foxtail millet, you can substitute with quinoa or any other millet of your choice- barnyard millet, pearl millet and kodo millet are great too! 
While this recipe focuses on the millet as the key ingredient, and has just a few seasonings and spices added in, you can take it a step further and throw in some veggies of your choice as well.
Chopped carrots, onions, cucumber, tomatoes, boiled potatoes, boiled sweet corn, steamed broccoli, zucchini, green peas and green beans- all taste amazing when added into the mix. Chopped radish can also lend the salad an incredibly crunchy and refreshing taste and flavor. 
You definitely can! If you aren’t adding any veggies, you can prepare the salad upto a day in advance and refrigerate it. If you want to add veggies, add them towards the end- just a couple of hours before you intend to serve it. This will ensure that the structural integrity of the veggies is intact, and that they retain their freshness and crunch. 
Tips & Tricks to Make the Lemony Foxtail Millet Salad
While the recipe is super simple and straightforward, you might want to note these little tips and hacks that can really make a difference in how the salad turns out.
- Want to give the salad a bit more crunch factor and flavor? Throw in some toasted sesame seeds.
- To lend the salad an additional kick of protein, add some boiled or canned kidney beans or chickpeas into it. If you’re doing this, remember that you’ll need to adjust the amount of spices and seasonings you’re adding in.
- To give the salad an extra touch of freshness, you can add chopped mint leaves instead of coriander leaves.
- If you want to go low fat, skip sautéing the peanuts, and just boil them instead. You can also choose to steam the veggies instead of pan-frying or sautéing them.
- To get a bit of green onto your plate, you can throw in some chopped kale or blanched baby spinach into the salad, or just some arugula leaves for an extra peppery flavor.
Serving Ideas & Suggestions
This healthy, south-Indian style salad can be the perfect standalone lunch or a light dinner option. However, if you really want to go the extra mile, you can serve it with a side of Indian style spiced buttermilk, and/or a nice crunchy salad.
Loved how easy it was to recreate this delicious salad? Why not try some more of these simple salad recipes that take just minutes to put together.
📖 Recipe
Lemony Foxtail Millet Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup Foxtail millet , (cooked)
- 1 tablespoon Mustard oil
- ½ cup Peanuts
- 1 teaspoon Mustard seeds
- 10 pcs Curry leaves
- 1 teaspoon Chana dal
- 1 tablespoon Garlic , (minced)
- ½ tablespoon Ginger , (minced)
- 1 pc Lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon Red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon Coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 bunch Coriander leaves, (chopped for garnish)
Instructions
- Heat the mustard oil in a pan. Add the peanuts and saute. Cook them until they are done. Keep sauting them otherwise they might burn.
- Next, add in the mustard seeds, curry leaves, chana dal, garlic, and ginger. Saute.
- Add the spices next along with salt and mix. Saute for a few seconds.
- Next, add in the lemon juice and mix.
- Add the cooked foxtail millet and mix everything together.
- Garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves and serve hot.
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